History As We Know It
by Maplez12
Summary: An alternate choice is chosen the night before the team assignment, resulting in a slightly different Team 7 that differs highly in the outcomes. Team 7: Uzumaki Naruto, Aburame Koumi and Uchiha Sasuke under Hatake Kakashi. For Sarutobi Hiruzen, it is a choice he makes after contemplating his failures regarding three members of the new Team 7. Will his decision be another failure?
1. Chapter 1

**History As We Know It**

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 _"One Aburame Misaki is more than enough mistake. I will not have another Aburame forsaking tradition only to be buried early. You, more than Aburame Misaki's daughter, are my, Aburame Koto's, successor and granddaughter. Never forget this."_

 _—Aburame Koto to Aburame Koumi._

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 **Chapter 1: Alternate Choice**

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 **Disclaimer: I own only the OCs.**

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The view of his beloved village is spread beneath the window of his office. From time to time, he can spot few shinobi taking the rooftop-routes where they jump from one to another, a classic sight in a Hidden Village such as this wizened gaze watches over the village he has sworn to protect, her each people precious beyond measure. And today he will have another generation of protectors, inheritors of the Will of Fire, the very hope of Konohagakure.

Sandaime Hokage remembers last night's event vividly, when the Yondaime's legacy finally learns of his burden, of his heroic sacrifice. The boy is young, only twelve-years of age. Still naïve, oblivious of what the word shinobi truly meant. Over a decade of peace allows this generation to grow up without feeling the tensions of wars, a generation he wishes will continue to the next and so on. Even without being ironed through blood trials, Will of Fire burns brightly in the heart of the upcoming genins.

Especially in one Uzumaki Naruto.

The boy hasn't had a very good life. Hiruzen might even say the boy doesn't know what exactly constitutes a good life. His heart aches every time he thinks of his grandson in anything but the Hokage, he can't hold any bias, not allowed to favour one over another. But he can't help it when it comes to the boy. He has suffered so much under the village he is meant to protect, the village he has protected the very moment he was born.

This time, he will allow himself to favour the boy just a little bit more. A Genin Team holds only a short while but it lasts forever more. As per his job, Sandaime Hokage has the responsibility to oversee the final team selectionof graduating students. Most of the teams are complete, one is exceptionally challenging. Uzumaki Naruto will be in the same team as Uchiha Sasuke, which is non-negotiable. The jōnin in charge would be Hatake Kakashi and the team would be Team 7, as a tribute to the Yondaime Hokage.

Which brings him to his latest dilemma: the kunoichi of Team 7.

Two files containing the profile of two young girls graduating this year are displayed on his work desk. One shows the picture of a sweet, loveable female with a stunning cherry-blossom hair and sparkling gem-like emerald eyes. The other picture has an unremarkable brown-haired female and almost-nostalgic golden-yellow eyes.

Haruno Sakura and Aburame Koumi.

Their chūnin instructor, Umino Iruka, has noted that these two girls in particular are excellent in their control over chakra, a marking of future genjutsu-user and future iryō-nin. Both girls are theoretically advanced with high memorisation capabilities and intellectual level. Taijutsu is their shared weakness, the lack of fire-power over their otherwise flawless kata forms.

In paper, these two females resemble each other so much that it is hard to make the choice. It isn't very much so in real life where the village's interests is in play.

Haruno Sakura is a civilian-born and raised. Her parents having been chūnin before their retirement. Sakura has no clan-backing, no unique family techniques to speak of: a paper-white genin many jōnin would be interested in forming.

Aburame Koumi is a clan-born and raised. Her father making a chūnin and mother a jōnin. Koumi has the Aburame's backing, no kikaichu in her but the clan's iryō-ninjutsu training under Aburame Koto, the world's second-best iryō-nin after Tsunade: a specifically trained kunoichi.

Simply considering the clan, Sandaime Hokage favours Aburame Koumi over Haruno Sakura. Any other times he would have chosen the latter—what's with the fondness the blond boy has for the girl—but this involves his surrogate grandson who has suffered and the Uchiha boy who has lost so much in addition to a still-hurting ex-ANBU. All three boys who Sandaime Hokage has failed and in desperate need of something to tie them firmly to Konoha.

The current Team 7 with only the three boys can be called dysfunctional at best. Hatake Kakashi has little connections to the village other then his sparse more-peers-than-friends, Uchiha Sasuke refuses everyone and Uzumaki Naruto is rejected by most. Hiruzen needs them to be connected to the village more than ever due to their special positions: a jinchūriki, the Last Uchiha and Yondaime Hokage's only surviving of which Konoha can afford to lose.

Between the choice of a civilian-born kunoichi with the potentials of an excellent iryō-nin and a clan-born kunoichi with partly-realised potentials as an iryō-nin, Hiruzen inevitably favours the latter.

"I hope my decision is the correct solution..." Hiruzen sighs as he picks up the files depicting a brown-haired girl and slips it into a folder titled 'Team 7' while the other file enters the folder of 'Team 3'.

And so, history as we know it begins to change.

 **[(-O-)]**

It is exactly a week after the Graduation when the newly-minted genins are recalled to assemble in the class they have been studying in for years. Soon, a chūnin instructor they are familiar with will stride in and announce the team they are assigned to. Finally, the jōnin teacher that they will begin their real shinobi trainingfrom will come to pick them up and hopefully starts to train them into a powerful shinobi straight away.

In the meantime though, several events begin to unfold in the midst of the twenty-seven graduates under the watchful eyes of the Sandaime Hokage and the jōnins that would soon take them under their wings should they prevail, starting with a surprising presence of a certain blonde-haired boy who managed to earn his hitai-ate through some unknown means other then the Graduation Test, followed by the noisy entrance of two kunoichi in-training who were once the best of friends, which led to a chaotic riot between at least ninety-eight percent of the female population in the class over a seat next to the best rookie of the year.

The highlight of the day has to be when after shoving aside an overly-friendly blonde-haired boy towards a certain pink-haired girl, said boy becomes highly irritated and angered by the raven-haired boy sitting with his two hands clasped together as he waits in silence despite the noises around him, the blonde then climbs over the table to squat and glare at his long-time rivalwhich sparks lightning between the two, neither willing to back down. Not until an unintentional push from the back caused the blonde to fall forward and locked in a shocking kiss with the boy he dislikes so much.

With both boys heaving heavily, trying hard to keep breakfast in their stomaches as they swore vengeance on the other for the horrible experience, the group of kunoichi who isn't at all pleased with the unexpected occurrence, thus lashes out on the unfortunate blond who has destroyed the fantasies of their delicate hearts. As such, the conclusion before their chūnin instructor, Umino Iruka has entered the classroom is one bruised black-and-blue, Uzumaki Naruto.

Of course, the show continues on as Iruka announces to the his former students, their current status within the village and what would be expected of them.

"From now on, you all will be grouped into a three-man cell and under a jōnin-sensei, you will be completing the missions assigned to you," Iruka, or the man often affectionately referred to as Iruka-sensei by his students, carefully enunciates his words.

Apparently, the word 'three-man cell' becomes the focus point for several of the genins. Some are fighting for the position in a team consisting a certain raven-haired rookie of the year, one despises the fact that there will be others dragging his feet and a certain delusional blonde wishes for the presence of his crush on his team.

"We have arranged the teams such that overall abilities are equivalent," Iruka continues, one hand waving out the few papers he has that listed out the names of students and the teams they are in. Said papers eventually garners the interests of the seated genins who are restless, wanting to know their placements as quickly as possible.

Having experienced being a newly-graduated genin once himself, Iruka knows the wait could be frustrating. Thus he doesn't prolong the suspense as he begins to list out names after names and the teams they belong to. With twenty-seven genins, that makes nine three-man cells.

"I will now announce them. Team One—"

From Team 1 to Team 6, skipping over Team 4, there are now twelve more genins that have yet a team. For a certain pink-haired kunoichi, her name has long been called under Team 3, followed by a gloating Yamanaka Heiress and a hair-pulling action of said frustrated girl, her Inner-self has exploded due to the unwanted result. The other blonde in the class has sulked upon discovering his dream of being in the same team as his crush is _literally_ crushed.

"Team 7: Uzumaki Naruto, Aburame Koumi and Uchiha Sasuke."

Despite having known the one girl in his team won't be the the girl he pines for, Naruto can't help but stand up and hollers when he heard the two people in his team.

"She's not Sakura-chan!" Naruto yells out indignantly, his index finger pointed accusingly at his beloved Iruka-sensei, whose temple is now sporting a tick mark of his irritation and a sign of soon-to-be explosion if the boy doesn't back off in the next three seconds.

Not yet finished and easily ignoring the growing ire of the spiky-haired instructor, Naruto begins to look around the classroom, a question spilling out of his lips as he did so, "We have someone like that?"

Obviously, the boy is not aware which one of his classmates and now-teammate is Aburame Koumi. The awkward boy that he is, he fails to realise his inquiry serves to dampened the mood of the named girl upon realising that sharing the same class for four years does nothing to make her presence known to her teammates.

For now however, it appears she has to announce her existence so the boy is aware of her before Iruka-sensei explodes, which judging from the tightening of his fist on the papers, will be initiated within seconds.

"I'm here, Naruto-kun," Aburame Koumi raises her hand, revealing her position as she sits herself between her two friends throughout the Academy: Hyūga Hinata, her best friend, and Aburame Shino, her distant cousin.

Her intervention thankfully delays the explosion that is Iruka-sensei and Naruto directs his wide blue eyes towards the unassuming brown-haired and golden-eyed girl— _Sakura-chan's way prettier!_ —he finds her easily, but his impressions of her isn't the best. He wants Sakura-chan in his team!

 _Besides, she seems quiet. And...boring,_ Naruto can't help thinking disappointedly before he returns to his seat with his shoulders slumped forward, seemingly depressed.

On the other side of the classroom, Koumi can't help her own slight dejection at the obvious disappointment from her teammates because she isn't the one he clearly wants to be. She knows that she is not Haruno Sakura and she can't be the pink-haired kunoichi, but...

"I-It's okay, Kou-chan. N-Naruto-kun didn't mean a-anything bad. Y-You are a-amazing, Kou-chan!" Hinata, the sweet girl she is, softly consoles her best friend, her shy stutters remains even after four years of befriending each other, but her heart is as kind as ever.

Shino is more practical in offering his consolation, "Naruto is behaving illogically. You ought to ignore his blatant dismissal, he doesn't know better. _Nazenara_ , you are the best iryō-nin in our generation, Koumi."

Koumi feels a smile coming to her face as she listens to her friends' encouragements. It warms her knowing her hardwork are noticed and appreciated, even when few are aware of them. If her teammates are not amongst these few, then she just has to do something about it, right? There is time for them to know each other as teammates.

"En," she hums, a small smile adorning her snow-like countenance. "Thank you, Hina-chan, Shino-kun," she gazes into the eyes of her two friends (although one has his clan's trademark sunglasses on), clear appreciation in her golden eyes.

Now that Naruto is settled, Iruka continues to announce the teams, "Team 8: Hyūga Hinata, Inuzuka Kiba and Aburame Shino."

Having been friends for a long while now, Hinata is undoubtedly delighted Shino is in the same team as her, although she is a bit disappointed that she is not with Naruto-kun...

" _Y-Yoroshiku ne_ , Shino-kun," Hinata manages to stutter out with a small smile, to which Shino nods his assent wordlessly.

Behind the two members of Team 7, Yamanaka Ino is lamenting the fact that the one girl who is with Sasuke-kun is one of the two girls who doesn't adore the raven-haired boy. And although she is thankful that this means she will have less to worry about this Aburame Koumi snatching her Sasuke-kun from her, she is still frustrated that it isn't her in his team.

As Ino voices out her complains, her deskmate and longtime childhood friend, Nara Shikamaru, comments on her obsessiveness with the Uchiha, which he fails to comprehend. This leads to the blonde girl declaring that she wouldn't want to be in the same team as him, which of course when the last team, Team 10, is announced, turns into an irony. Worst of all, her other teammates is her other longtime childhood friend.

"Team 10: Yamanaka Ino, Nara Shikamaru and Akimichi Chōji."

Iruka thus concludes the team assignment, "That's it for the teams."

 **[(-O-)]**

Now that Iruka-sensei is finished with his announcement, Naruto decides it's a good time as any to yells out his complains, which he does without so much as second thoughts of what would occur if he does.

"Iruka-sensei!" Naruto stands up as soon as the chūnin is done, his one finger pointing at his rival, "Why is Sakura-chan is in different team?! And why is a top-student like me in the same team with this guy?!"

Already, his wish of being in a team with Sakura-chan is not granted, now he even have to be in the same team as Sasuke-teme?! No way he is accepting this!

Iruka-sensei doesn't appear pleased with his questions, but he answers anyway, bluntly and to the points.

"Sasuke graduated with the highest scores," Iruka intones calmly. Then with his hands on his hips and slightly leaning forward, the instructor stares straight into his eyes and he can't help but gulp because he can see this is not going to be good for him.

"Naruto... you are the dobe!"

Iruka-sensei isn't finished, ignoring the ridiculing laughtersof his classmates, he continues, "To evenly divide abilities between teams, obviously this has to be done!"

 _Grr!_ Naruto grits his teeth hard, not wanting to believe he loses in terms of awesomeness to his rival. There's no way he is weaker than Sasuke-teme!

"Don't pull my leg. _Dobe_ ," Sasuke mocks him, not even gracing him a glance as he did so.

" _ **What did you say?!"**_ Naruto bellows out in anger, his fist ready to strike any moments now.

Sasuke isn't done with his provocations, "You want to fight? _Dobe?_ "

Dobe. _Dobe_. _**Dobe!**_

He is **not** a dobe!

Sasuke-teme!

"I'm not a dobe! Teme, you—"

"Stop it, Naruto!" Sakura finally has had enough, her tone hardening as she calls out his name.

 _Sakura-chan..._ Naruto can't help the dejection when his crush is supporting his rival instead of him. Why not him?

"S-Sorry, Sakura-chan," he says in the end. In front of Sakura-chan, he just can't deny her. Even when she is doing it for Sasuke-teme.

Laughters aside, Iruka can't help sighing at the behaviour of his favourite student. He knows he can't have a favourite as an instructor, but to Umino Iruka, he as himself, Uzumaki Naruto is the one student he has the closest relations with and the one whose future he looks forward to most. Anticipation fills his chest as he surveys each and every of his students, they are the first class he is responsible for as a chūnin instructor and they are definitely one of the most memorable. He will miss them, everyone of them.

Sighing, he finally tells them the next instruction, "I'm going to introduce the jōnin-sensei in the afternoon. Meeting adjourned until then!"

 **[(-O-)]**

Students are beginning to filter out of the classroom, many of them are already grouping together with their teammates, probably to get to know each other better so they can work better as a team. It is a sound idea, so it's no surprise when Hinata and Shino are getting up to invite their other teammate, Inuzuka Kiba, the boy with red-fang marks in his cheeks and a white small ninken, to a lunch. Hinata has a hard time getting the words out however, and Shino is particularly stingy with his words.

The two tried including Koumi into their team-lunch, but she doesn't want to bother them now that she has her own teammates and it is the best time to get to know them better like the others are doing, so she waves them goodbyes for now.

"I-I'll see you l-later, Kou-chan," Hinata keeps looking back at her friend, worried. With how Naruto has behaved previously and how Sasuke is known to be, it will be difficult for her.

Koumi nods, her home-made bento on hand as she watches her two friends walk out the classroom with their teammate. Shino is concerned enough to send her an encouraging nod and it never fails to cheer her up. Unfortunately though, she realises her two teammates are no longer here and she has no idea where they are at the moment.

"...Why must they be so quick with their exits?" Koumi sighs to herself. She stands up and heads towards the academy's canteen to get two convenience-bought bento, one for Naruto-kun and one for Sasuke-kun.

Even when the two boys are not aware of her existence, Koumi knows the them well enough. Naruto is the one kid that the whole village has an odd reaction to, he rarely has himself a good meal as he is an orphan and he doesn't appear to be well-off since the Orphan's Funds are barely enough for them to go by unless their parents left them some inheritances. She knows he may not be able to afford himself lunch, so she may as well buy him one.

Sasuke... his situation is truly a tragedy. Having lost not only his parents but his whole clan in one single night to an older brother he used to adore is a nightmare she will never wish even upon her biggest enemy. While the raven-haired boy can be considered wealthy, he is hardly the best in taking care of himself and it shows.

The two of them... they need someone to take care of them.

And as an iryō-nin, Koumi knows she can help them. It may not be the best solution, but she can make it better. They are a team now, so she can get involved, right?

These thoughts filled her head as Koumi bought the bentos and began her search for her two teammates. It is hard to locate the two as one of them is a skilled genin and the other is an infamous prankster, even when they didn't try hiding their presences.

The first one she finds is the orange-clothed boy with hair the colour of the sun, he seems to be looking for someone or something himself, his heads turning left and right as he walks around.

"Naruto-kun!" Koumi calls out as she jogs over to him, he pauses in his search as he turns to face her.

"You... Aburame Koumi, right?" Naruto hesitates a bit, not really remembering the girl. At her nod though, he knows he mentions her name right at least.

"Naruto-kun," she stops a few steps away from him, a plastic bag containing three bento: one home-made and two store-bought, behind her back, "Do you want to have lunch together? With Sasuke-kun too."

Naruto appears surprised at her invitation, seemingly not expecting her toinvite him of all people to a lunch. Sasuke, he can understand even when he doesn't want to, but him? That's... new. He wants to say 'yes!' but then he remembers that he is supposed to be asking Sakura-chan to a lunch! Especially now that they are not in the same team.

"Sorry, I'm looking for Sakura-chan right now. We're not in the same team, so I want at least one lunch together with Sakura-chan!" Naruto scratches the back of his head, a sheepish grin on his face. Then he turns around and begins to run, continuing his search.

"Maybe next time, Koumi!" Naruto yells out as he departs, disappearing into the distance, not staying another second to listen to the words the brunette is about to say with her half-opened mouth.

It will be a lie to say if she is not the slightest bit dejected, after all, it appears she really is not welcomed as a teammate.

"...Naruto-kun said no, will Sasuke-kun say yes?" Koumi is very doubtful of that result, but she has to try because it won't be fair if she dismisses the chance when she has yet to try.

 _Where can Sasuke-kun be?_ Koumi wonders as her feet take her around the Academy, she knows that the Uchiha doesn't like to socialise in general and is likely to be somewhere others can't easily find him. At times like this, she can't help but think if only she inherits her clan's kekkei genkai, how easy would it be to track others?

Eventually, Koumi finds Sasuke walking towards the other side of the building where it is particularly deserted around this time. She almost can't help the sparkles in her golden-eyes as she finally finds him! She hurriedly hides them though, that way the other boy won't mistake her delight in finding him as her adoring him like most of their female classmates.

"Sasuke-kun!" Koumi calls out, effectively stopping his walk for a brief second, a thrown glance in her direction as she jogs over to him, before he continues onwards without a word.

"Wait! I just want to ask if you want to have lunch together. I tried asking Naruto-kun too, but..." Koumi follows after him, expecting a reply even if it is not a yes. He remains silent as he ignores her however, so that prompts her to say more of her intention.

"It's so we can know each other better, we are a team now, so..." Koumi continues to explain, she wants to try to convince him more, but at that moment, Sasuke stops walking.

Sasuke doesn't turn around to face her, but he stops and says, "I don't need a team."

Then he just walks away.

Koumi can only watch as her other teammate reject her invitation, not unlike before. It's only when she can't see him anymore that she sighs and turns to walk back to her classroom.

"Naruto-kun says no, Sasuke-kun says no..." Koumi whispers sadly, her head slightly hung low. "Can we be a good team?"

From how things are going, the likely answer is another 'no'.

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 _So yeah, how is it?_

 _Reviews are very much appreciated!_

 _I know I'm not supposed to start another story, but as of now, anything KnB-related I have little ideas to go on with. I need to restock some inspirations? Blue Sky, I'm a bit lost on how to continue. So for the time being, this comes out. And I have pretty much settled the directions of this story._

 _Aburame Koumi is not fully introduced in this chapter, there will be more in-depth description on her characteristics in the next chapter!_

 _Thank you!_


	2. Chapter 2

**History As We Know It**

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 _"There are Four Codes an iryō-nin must abide by, these rules are set down by the world's greatest iryō-nin, Senju Tsunade. These codes, are, without a doubt, important and reasonable. But… to me, being an iryō-nin, above all else, is keeping the people I love, safe."_

 _—Aburame Koumi_

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 **Chapter 2: Team 7**

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 **Disclaimer: I own only the OCs.**

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No one is currently present within the classroom the graduating students have spent the earlier part of their day in for the team assignment, only nine desks that comes with a bench provided for every three students to share, with three in each row in three layers with differing heights. A blackboard in front, and a small teacher desk nearby.

The classroom that seems to be so crowded and noisy before, is at the moment empty of such. Silence filled the room, seemingly to enhance magically as no one is present. It is not as comforting as it is disturbing for Aburame Koumi, probably due to the state of her mood after the rejections she has recently received.

The very last row on the back of the class, the second column from the sides, is the seat Koumi is walking towards with a plastic bag containing three bentos in it. She quietly sits herself down, placing the plastic bag on top of the desk and takes out the home-made bento on the very top. The sight of the two store-bought bentos in the bag reminds her of her two teammates she has and the end result of her lunch invitation.

Not wanting to spoil her appetite, Koumi moves the plastic bag along with the bentos in them to the empty space on her seat. Considering the seat is meant for three people and she is sitting on the corner, there are plenty of spaces next to her. She can't see the bag directly now that they are placed lower than her line of vision, she may even deludes herself of not having them in the first place.

Anyway, now that is done, Koumi wordlessly pries open her bento and clasps her hands together in a prayed stance and mutters out an, " _Ittadakimasu_ ," before she picks up her chopsticks.

Lunch today is steamed rice, tamagoyaki, two octopus sausages, several pieces of chicken karaageand a salad with cherry tomatoes. Koumi has never been a big eater even after spending her day out training. She does, however, eats as often as she can when she feels incoming hunger. It is healthier that way and it suits her needs better.

It is a lunch no different than one she usually makes, the ingredients and seasonings used are about the same in both quality and quantity. So why is it, that the taste of what she is eating now, pales to the taste she usually has?

Koumi slows down her pace in eating her lunch, carefully chewing before swallowing her food and still, she feels the taste of her bento today, seems to be a bit bland. Did she make a mistake in the seasonings this morning due to her nervousness for the team assignment? But she is quite sure there's no such things...

Nonetheless, she can't deny that the taste of her bento today is off, so maybe she did make a mistake somewhere in prepping it. Food is food however, and she needs the energy from it. Koumi continues to chew and swallow, as slowly and as enjoyably as she can. It is one of the golden rules in eating: to enjoy the food.

The only noises in the room is from the soft chewing and swallowing by the brunette with the occasional noises her chopsticks made. A bit of loneliness peers out from her heart, something she can't help but feel as she never has lunch by herself even before befriending Hinata because she always has Shino to depend on.

Unlike her best friend relationship with Hyūga Hinata, her relationship with Shino is a bit more complicated. As they are from the same clan, they are, undeniably, blood-related no matter how thin that connection is. Shino, however, is from the main line of the family that produces at least eighty-percent of the kikaichu-users in the clan. Whereas Koumi is from the branch side of the family, where barely ten-percent of the members are able to host kikaichu upon their birth.

Aburame Koumi is born without the necessary disposition to host the kikaichu, thus according to tradition, she is to be trained as a clan iryō-nin and to be assigned as a personal iryō-nin to one of the kikaichu-users in the clan. This system has been there for as long as the Aburame Clan has existed, all due to the unique structure of a kikaichu-user, be it their physical bodies or their chakra pathways. Aburame Shino, heir to the position of the Clan Head, is the one Koumi is assigned to as soon as it was determined she was to pursue the path of iryō-nin.

With little gap in age and having belong to the same generation, Koumi has known Shino for as long as she can remember. For her, Shino has always been around her and will stay around for a lifetime. She is his companion iryō-nin, the one person that has full-access to his health and is one-hundred-percent aware of what's going on in his body, the owner of the chakra that he is accustomed to receiving without any troubles.

Thus, to this day, Koumi has been undergoing plenty of trainings in iryō-ninjutsu. After all, the training of the companion iryō-nin to the future Clan Head is just as important.

Shino is special to Koumi due to this, he is a friend, a brother, an existence so special he is on his own. On the other hand, her friendship with Hinata is much simpler, but no less deeper. She is the first person she befriends after starting the Academy, they bonded over a lesson in the kunoichi classes every girls are expected to attend. Little Hinata was so cute back then, her pale-lavender eyes seemingly larger in her rounder face. She is still cute now, of course.

"Team 7, eh? Mm..." Koumi mumbles after swallowing, her mind wandering away to the boys she is in a team with.

It's going to be difficult getting close to either of them. Naruto is obviously disheartened she is not Sakura and Sasuke doesn't want a team since he believes we are going to drag him down... How is she going to solve this? Will the jōnin-sensei in charge be the one helping the team to unite?

Koumi can't remember the last time she tries befriending someone after Hinata. In fact, it appears Hinata is the first and the last attempt for her. Having two friends she can share most of her everything is more than enough, so she never bothers looking for more. Now though...

She wants to sigh if it's not for the fact that she is in the middle of her meal and sighing at such a time is something she is taught to never do. Why is it so hard to be a team?

 _If... if Sakura-san is the kunoichi of Team 7 instead of me... wouldn't it be better for both Naruto-kun and Sasuke-kun? Maybe not Sasuke-kun, but Naruto-kun... definitely._

Koumi feels like tearing up, she just can't help thinking that maybe, it is really her presence that is causing the team troubles. She feels awful. The tears are clouding her vision as she keeps them at bay, she tries hard to restrain them so they won't fall. But now her nose is getting runny and she has to sniff rather forcefully or risking her lunch.

 _Uh... I... I'm not crying..._ Koumi tells herself, she definitely is not crying. It's just... it's been a while since her good intention is refused like moments ago. She is genuinely intending to befriend them too. _It... hurts._

Koumi takes a few minutes to recollect herself, her tears drying up enough that her golden-eyes are now moist instead of on the brink of overflowing and her nostrils cleared as of normal. She is okay now. Every now and then, it gets harder for her to control her emotions. Shino told her that repressing her feelings too much isn't healthy and there's nothing wrong if her dam breaks, only that she has to reconstruct it.

Her tears just now are the combination of stresses from the intense trainings from her grandmother for the past few months as well as the rejection from her teammates, more the former than the latter. Today is just the breaking point. But as always, the broken dam will stand up once more, firmer than before and last even longer.

Now that her emotions is sorted, it seems like the taste of bento is more flavourful. That, or some of her tears slipped out, thus acting out as an extra seasoning. Anyway, lunch tastes better than before, which is good. Koumi is now enjoying her food better, something she is thankful for.

Half-way through her bento, the windows to the classroom is slid open and a familiar shade of orange appears from the gap. Everyone in Konoha can easily recognise who does that shade of orange belongs to anytime of the day as the person is rarely spotted without them.

"Naruto-kun?" Koumi finds herself calling out to him before she can stop herself, her confusion clear in both her voice and on her expression.

The addressed boy jolts slightly upon being called out, he turns his head to the side, now noticing the only other presence in the vicinity. He gives out a wide grin as he recognises the girl who is his teammate.

"Koumi!" he cheers out joyfully and begins to walk over. That's when he notices that she is in the middle of her meal, a meal he was invited to and had rejected because he was searching for Sakura-chan.

Naruto sees that the brunette is sitting by herself, eating without anyone's company and her surrounding is shrouded with silence, so much that he doesn't notice someone is in the classroom before he pops in. Immediately, he feels guilts pooling in his guts. Because he rejected her kind intention, she is eating by herself. He should have known better!

One of the redeeming traits of an Aburame is how observant they are and despite not having kikaichu within her, Koumi is born and raised an Aburame. It's a child-play noticing the blonde's sudden drop in mood. She tilts her head slightly to the side, contemplating. A few thoughts flitting by and the next moment, the brunette is all smiles.

"Naruto-kun, have you had lunch?" Koumi stares directly into his eyes, golden meeting blue. Nothing but kindness shines through the striking golden pools. A soft smile is adorning her delicate features, making her to appear even more gentle.

For a moment there, Naruto, the hopelessly loud prankster, loses his focus, too stunned by the genuine care in the eyes of his teammate. When was the last time someone looks at him that way? That night with Iruka-sensei? For a while, his mind is in a bit more mess than it usually is. He regathers himself soon enough, though. After all, she asked him a question, didn't she?

"Yeah! I had lunch already!" he replies with a sunny grin, easily covering up his lie. She doesn't need to know that he is a bit short for this week's meal other then the stocked cup ramen in his dingy apartment.

If anything, today is definitely not a good day for Uzumaki Naruto. Thus it doesn't come as a surprise when his stomach chose to growl the second after he said he had eaten. Not just growl, it may as well be a roar with how loud it had been. Blood rushed up to his cheeks when he realises his lie is now discovered and he may get himself laughed at.

But Aburame Koumi just has to be the exception.

" _Yokattara_ , you can have this one, Naruto-kun," she places down her chopsticks and takes out a box of store-bought bento from the bag next to her, offering it with two hands towards the blonde.

"I'm sorry it is store-bought. I didn't have enough time this morning," Koumi looks apologetic, patiently waiting for her teammate to take the bento in her hand. Patient and hopeful.

Naruto meanwhile, is struck speechless when the girl is offering him a lunch. She is not laughing at him, nor is she angry for ditching her invitation. She is actually giving him lunch and she is even sorry because she didn't cook it herself? Just what...?

A full-minute passed as Naruto stands there frozen, much like an idiot before his consciousness kicks in and he realises the brunette has been extending her hand towards him all the while he is lost in thoughts. He quickly takes over her burden, not wanting to trouble her more than he already did.

"T-Thank you, Koumi," Naruto stutters a bit, so unlike him but somewhat fitting when he thinks of what has just happened.

The Aburame is just delighted. This is one step successful, the other step is having Sasuke here with them, but Naruto is already here and for now, it's enough. So her smile only widens at his acceptance, his earlier rejection forgotten.

"Your welcome, Naruto-kun," Koumi returns his thanks with a joyful tone, her golden eyes twinkling with happiness.

As Naruto takes a seat next to the brown-haired girl, he notices that she has another box of bento in the bag she took out his from. _Probably for Sasuke-teme..._

 _...Sasuke told her no too, huh?_ Naruto realises easily, he is not that much of an idiot, just a bit slow. That's why he knows now, that even though Aburame Koumi is not Sakura-chan, that she is not as pretty as Sakura-chan...

 _She is nicer than Sakura-chan!_

 **[(-O-)]**

On the other side of the building, a certain raven-haired boy notices that it is about time for the arrival of the jōnin-sensei according to Iruka. Seeing as he has nothing else to do, he might as well head back to the classroom. Having decided, Sasuke thus begins tracing his way back while avoiding anyone's eyes (specifically girls').

With his mind at ease, he recalls the supposedly other teammate of his. Naruto aside, Sasuke has known that there are two Aburames in his class even when he is not familiar with either of them. He remembers one is the next Aburame Clan Head. That said, he doesn't care about them as they don't particularly excel nor do they stand out in the crowds.

If anything though, Sasuke remembers feeling glad when he realises that 'Aburame Koumi' is not one of his fangirls, and if he really has to have one in the must-have team, his choice is between her and the Hyūga girl. They, at least, don't bother his person like most girls do.

But then this Aburame has the strangest idea of having lunch together so they can get to know each other better, which is just plain stupid. He has never a need for a team. Three people in a team is two people too many. He don't need a team.

As he is avoiding detection, Sasuke chooses the windows as his entrance. Sliding them open with little noises, he is ready to jump over when he picks up hearty chatters from within the classroom, signalling him there are people inside. These voices are somewhat... familiar.

 _Naruto? And the other one... Aburame?_ Sasuke easily determines which voice is whose.

From the sounds of it, only those two are in the classroom. Naruto can be a bother, but seeing as he is occupied with the Aburame, he may as well get in and take his seat. Sasuke smoothly jumps over the ledge, alerting the two genins as he ignores their reactions in favour of closing the windows.

"Sasuke-kun!" Koumi sounds delighted finding him, her golden eyes sparkling in excitement.

"Geh. Sasuke," Naruto grumbles, never has he been happy when he is face-to-face with his rival.

Sasuke cares little of the two and makes his way to his previous seat without a word of recognition. He thought that this was it, but the Aburame turns out to be persistent if nothing else.

"Sasuke-kun, have you had your lunch?" she asks him, her golden eyes trailing after his back.

Indeed. Annoyingly persistent.

"Hn," he grunts in reply, not needing a coherent word.

Unfortunately, an Aburame is in no way fluent in the ways of Uchiha's Grunts. Thus, thinking that her teammate has yet to have his lunch like her other teammate, she happily empties the plastic bag and takes out a store-bought bento as she walks over to his seat, her hands holding the box of bento extended towards his face.

"This is for you, Sasuke-kun," Koumi has her eyes sparkling all the while, her golden eyes glittering with hopes that he would accept this time.

Sasuke who usually would snap at people forcing things on him caught the hopes in her eyes and how there's no ulterior motives there. The girl really thought that his 'hn' has been a 'no', that's why she is offering him a bento. He really wants to refuse, with proper word this time, but he finds his denial stuck in his throat at her hopeful expression.

Frankly, Aburame has good intentions behind her actions. Just a bit of a busybody. Contrary to some's expectations, Sasuke was raised by his parents to uphold manners. As he had rejected the girl earlier, this time, he will take her offer. Just this one time.

When his hand wordlessly reaches out for the box in her hands, her pair of golden eyes brightens even more. Even so, Koumi says nothing as he takes the bento and begins to eat them without so much as a 'thanks'. The Aburame trots back to her seat with a slight skip to her steps. She is not offended, but a certain blonde is grumbling about his supposed rudeness.

Thus their first team lunch passed just like this, one raven-haired boy stuffing himself with another portion of lunch to the point of bursting on a seat of his own, one joyful blonde who chatters happily to his new teammate and one patient brunette listening to and tolerating the eccentricities of her teammates.

After finishing their lunches, disposing of the remains (hum and Naruto) and packing up the lunchbox (her), the newly formed Team 7 sits together on the same seat. More like, since he doesn't feel like grouping with them, they come over to his side. Obviously, the Aburame has to persuade the dobe. Even so, he has no intentions of speaking to them.

Koumi knows that there's no way Naruto will talk to Sasuke without trading barbs, so she has to be the one keeping them from fighting here and if she wants the three of them to work as a team, then she has to be the one to take the initiative. That's why she did just that.

"I haven't make a formal introduction, have I? My name is Aburame Koumi," the brunette begins, her golden eyes gazing into both blue and onyx. The reaction she receives from Naruto is positively blinding.

"Uzumaki Naruto, Future Hokage at your service!" the blonde grins, confidence and charisma overflowing.

 _This is stupid,_ Sasuke thinks to himself. Despite his thought, he shows none of it on his expression. "Uchiha Sasuke," he simply says.

Seemingly encouraged by the responses of her two teammates, the Aburame thus takes her next step in this 'getting to know each other better'. "I think since we are a team now, Naruto-kun and Sasuke-kun may want to know what I specialise in, so, umm..."

Koumi breathes in, inwardly urging herself, "I am an iryō-nin. I also use genjutsu in a fight. I am an Aburame... but I can't use the clan's techniques, by which I mean is the kikaichu," she explains.

If the Aburame wants to be goody-goody with him, then he will straight away told her off, but since she is willing to share what she can do, he may as well listen to her ramblings. After all, he can't deny this knowledge is important. Which is why when she told him she can't use the Aburame's clan techniques, he grows curious enough to inquire further.

"Why?" Sasuke throws out his one-word question the moment she finishes her explanation, ignoring the blonde's obvious attempt in speaking of his own awesomeness.

The Aburame blinks once, a bit surprised since she probably doesn't expect to be questioned by him so soon. But she recovers quickly enough and understands his curt inquiry without problems.

"For Aburame, you see, it is decided soon after our birth if we have the capabilities to host the kikaichu. To be a host, a newborn Aburame must have a certain amount of chakra reserves to ensure the life of the Aburame after the kikaichu enters the infant body. I... wasn't born with enough chakra reserves, that's why I can't use the clan's techniques," Koumi explains with a small smile, she doesn't appear sad nor dissatisfied despite admitting she can't use her clan's techniques.

For a clan born like him, Sasuke knows the sharingan is unique to the Uchiha. It's not clear if the awakening of sharingan is decided upon birth, as some of the Uchiha had never awaken theirs until their deaths, but those who awakens their sharingancan only grow stronger. And for him, having the sharingan is truly the pride of an Uchiha. That's why hearing that this Aburame can't do what makes an Aburame, Aburame, he immediately disdains her.

"You are weak," he dismisses her, not even mocking, but he truly thinks so.

Before the girl can say anything in her defense, another has jumped on her behalf, raging like a mad bull.

"Take that back, Sasuke-teme! Koumi is not weak!"Naruto has his hands balled in fists, his tanned face screwed in anger as he glares his blue eyes on his onyx eyes.

Not waiting for the boys to fight, the brunette replies with her own surprising answer.

"Mm," she hums in agreement, confusing her teammates who have expected her to deny the claim, "As an iryō-nin, I'm not physically strong. I suck at taijutsu because I lack the strength. Ninjutsu is a bit out of reach for me because the chakra cost of jutsu varies and often is high. Genjutsu is my only defense and offense."

 _Weak._

"...But I can help you get stronger," she continues after a moment of silence, her voice from start to finish does not waver, she truly believes in her conviction, in what she is telling them, "it's part of an iryō-nin's duty to the team."

The boys are stunned to silence once again, this meek, weak-looking girl with unassuming appearance and ghostly presence actually has her own beliefs she won't give up. Even without ninjutsu and taijutsu, she believes she can be useful to the team through genjutsu and iryō-ninjutsu, to them.

A blink and a smirk, Sasuke's final thought of the girl has improved from his first impressions of her.

 _She's not that weak after all._

* * *

 _So yeah, how is it?_

 _Reviews are very much appreciated!_

 _Next time: Insight to Hatake Kakashi's take on Team 7!_

 _Thank you!_


	3. Chapter 3

**History As We Know It**

* * *

 _"I am no prodigy in iryō-ninjutsu. I was raised around iryō-ninjutsu, it is all I know of for the most part of growing up. I counted not apples nor kunais, but tenketsu points. I memorised not hiragana nor kanji, but human anatomies. By the time I began to understand, I was already on my way as an iryō-nin."_

 _—Aburame Koumi_

* * *

 **Chapter 3: First impressions**

* * *

 **Disclaimer: I own only the OCs.**

* * *

While the newly-minted genins are excitedly waiting for their jōnin-sensei who will train him to be the strongest shinobi ever, several of the jōnin-sensei are already present in the Academy, observing their potential students from the shadows. For one certain team's jōnin-sensei, the Sandaime Hokage even took him on a trip for three house visits of his soon-to-be three minions. After all, this certain jōnin-sensei needs some persuasion.

Their first house visitis the apartment of one Uzumaki Naruto. The building is located in the older part of the village and like the other buildings around it, it appears worn with age. One glance is enough to know that the this particular genin isn't very well-off financially.

No one is inside the one-bedroom apartment as the sole boarder is an orphan with no relatives to speak of. It's easy to see that little maintenance has been done in the property, a stack of dirty bowls on the table, as well as a stack of empty cup noodles with a pair of chopsticks still inside. Most importantly is the left-opened carton of milk that has long expired. Strewn of dirty dishes resting on the kitchen sink, an unwashed pot on top of a stained portable stove, even a fallen cup of water on the tabletop. A bag of garbages not yet thrown away on the side. In short, it's a mess.

Kakashi has a hard time believing, the son of the man he holds in high regards, the legacy of the Yondaime, is living his life without proper care even from himself. Namikaze Minato is well-known to be a meticulous man, even when he was a child, his things are never strewn about and his mind is just as neat. Then again... who is there to teach Naruto things like housekeeping?

 _Minato-sensei... Kushina-san..._

The next house visit is the apartment of Uchiha Sasuke, whose establishment is located in the better part of the village, where newer buildings and the wealthier citizens lived in. The very same ground where the Uchiha District used to stand before their ultimate demise at the hand of one of their own. Considering how Sasuke is the sole inheritor to the wealth of the Uchiha Clan, it's no wonder he can afford the rent if not owned the property.

Contrary to Naruto's one-bedroom apartment featuring sparse, worn furnitures, the one-bedroom apartment Sasuke lives in is clearly better in all aspects. Not to mention, the boy himself keeps everything tidy, no such things as dirty dishes on the kitchen sink. The bedroom even comes with a spacious balcony offering a beautiful view of Konohagakure. One thing of note, is that unlike Naruto's, Sasuke's have plenty of books and scrolls in his bookshelf.

The Sandaime notes how Sasuke's father, Uchiha Fugaku, is quite the stern man. There's no doubt he educates his son to emulate his own discipline, such as tidying his stuffs. This in turns, caused Kakashi to recall the boy's aniki, is not that far off in terms of tidiness. It's a real shame how things have turned out for the man who was once his subordinate. With how things are in the village, he is now the only one able to teach the Last Uchiha how to utilise his Sharingan despite him not being an Uchiha in the first place.

 _Obito... this eye, is this eye really worth the sufferings?_

The last house visit is the kunoichi of Team 7, Aburame Koumi, who lives in the Aburame Clan's compound with her grandmother. As he is with the Sandaime Hokage, obtaining access is easy enough. The one to greet them for the young kunoichi is the girl's grandmother, the world-renown, second best iryō-nin only to Tsunade. This girl, is thus moulded into an accomplished iryō-nin even with her young age.

For a girl, there's nothing to nitpick about the kunoichi's living habits. As she is an iryō-nin in-training herself, Koumi knows best how to take care of her health and she does it well. Her room is clean and tidy, there are even more books in her bookshelf than there is in Sasuke's. Scrolls on iryō-ninjutsu are also aplenty. Knowledge isn't something she is lacking, nor is wealth. Yet like the bedroom of the other two children, it's easy to see that the seemingly complete bedroom, indeed lacks one important point he can see in the bedroom of his past charges that he failed.

Not a visit to Naruto's, nor is it Sasuke's that shook Hatake Kakashi most. It is unexpectedly, the visit to Aburame Koumi's house. A caramel-brown haired kunoichi pursuing the path of an iryō-nin. If not because the stern welcoming of the girl's grandmother, Kakashi was afraid he would have lost himself in his memories.

 _A clumsy fool, an elite rookie and a clever kunoichi..._

 ** _Obito, he and Rin..._**

Kakashi finds himself asking the Sandaime why, why is the team of his deceased sensei's son is constructed just like his genin team, for him to lead as the jōnin-sensei?

 _Why? Isn't it enough for him_ _already? Is there a need to remind his failures every single day? Of the people he failed?_

The Sandaime is firm in his decision and in his beliefs in him, when Kakashi doesn't even believe in himself. Is the Hokage giving him a second chance to redeem himself? With his mind still in confusion, he finds himself standing before the Memorial Stone after parting with the Sandaime and sending a kagebunshin of himself to observe the three genins in the Academy. Hours passed just like that, it wasn't until his kōhai, Tenzo, called out to him that he decided he had made his team wait enough for the day.

The moment his kagebunshin dispels itself, Kakashi gets his mind flooded by series of informations. Of events happening surrounding his three new genins. Naruto who is like Obito, with his sunny grins and foolish, honest actions. Sasuke who is like him, a cold front and dismissive of everyone else but himself. Then there is Koumi... Koumi, she is like Rin. The way she smiles warmly, kindly offering lunches to both Naruto and Sasuke who brushed her off when she invites them, how she tries to get them to be a team by offering her information first. And it **hurts**.

 _Because..._

" _ **You are weak."**_

Sasuke told Koumi she is weak. _He had done the same to Rin._

" _ **Take that back, Sasuke-teme! Koumi is not weak!"**_

Naruto gets mad on her behalf. _Obito had done the same for Rin._

Too many similarities. Too much familiarities. Is history doomed to repeat itself for this Team 7?

 **(** ∋ **O** ∈ **)**

It's been at least two hours since the last team, Team 8, is taken away by their jōnin-sensei. As of now, only the members of Team 7 are left in the classroom. The long wait is inevitably becoming very boring and frustrating quick, even the tolerant kunoichi of the team can't deny her vexation regarding their overly-late jōnin-sensei. It's unlikely, but it is possible that there may be some kind of emergency for the jōnin to attend to, thus his tardiness.

This thought is what keeping Koumi from exploding much like Naruto is doing, and brooding like Sasuke does most of the time. It's hard enough to keep Naruto calmly seated on a daily basis since the boy is brimming with energy, now that the blonde is agitated, she can only hope those energies are channelled somewhere beneficial. Even Sasuke appears gloomier than ever.

One thing for sure, _this jōnin-sensei fails his or her first impression._

"Why is our sensei the only one late?! Two hours! It's been more than two hours! What the hell is he doing?!" Naruto rants about, his anger spilling out as he yells at the empty space.

One hour and fifteen minutes ago, she would have tried to console him, saying things like, "Maybe he is already here, testing our patience as a shinobi in mission," or, "Perhaps there's an emergency that needs his immediate attention?" even, "Could he has forgotten some previous paperworks? I was told that some jōnins tend to do that and they are banned from more responsibilities before completing them." As of now, Koumi has given up. The jōnin-sensei can show up and explain himself when he did.

Just as Koumi laments not bringing a book or a scroll to read, the ever-active blonde has already perched himself on top of a wooden stool with a blackboard eraser on his hand. It isn't hard to guess what he intends to do, what she doubts is if he is fully aware of the consequence that may comes from his actions.

"Naruto-kun, I know you are irritated with our sensei, but you might make him mad if you pranked him on day one..." Koumi tries to persuade him to give up his mischiefs, the boy did pause in his action, but he doesn't look like he will listen to reason.

Naruto pouts, "It's his fault for being late, Koumi! Aren't you angry at him too? Even Iruka-sensei had gone home!"

Right... at this time, the three of them are probably the only people left in the Academy. Their sensei is running late, rather than running, it may as well be a Shunshin or a Hiraishin. He is _that_ late. Naruto's action is both understandable and unreasonable, but what can she say about it?

"...Is there no way I can convince you to stop this?" Koumi sounds resigned, her pleading golden-yellow eyes gazing up at his determined ocean-blues.

Naruto grins, not at all deterred as he clearly mouths, "Nope!"

No surprise there... Really, seems like a team with Naruto will have its share of headaches. Now that it has reached this point, she may as well lend him a hand. It's not fair if only the blonde gets in trouble when in fact, he is venting the frustrations of all three of them at their tardy sensei.

"In that case, please sprinkle this powder on the eraser, Naruto-kun," Koumi summons a container the size of half her hand from the scroll in her pocket and offers it to the blonde.

This container attracts not only Naruto's, but also Sasuke's attention. The Uchiha has been silently keeping to himself before this, now his focus is on his teammates. He can't help but be interested when the good-girl actually decided to participate in this farce.

"What's this?" Naruto takes the container, an eyebrow raised in confusion as he shakes the round thing to guess what's inside.

She hopes this is not going too far, but she has the antidote at the ready anyway and they are officially shinobi from today onwards, thus prank such as this is a harmless one! At least... that's how she convinces herself.

"It's a hallucinogenic powder. I have the antidote with me and it's nothing dangerous. A slight hallucination at most?" Koumi smiles sheepishly, appearing guilty for scheming against their sensei.

For one Uzumaki Naruto, powders are nothing new when he designs his pranks. It's his first time hearing this hal-what powder though. The effect seems interesting enough. Hallucination is something like genjutsu, right?

"Better than chalk powders! Thanks, Koumi! I'll get this done!" the blonde chirps as he hurriedly screws opens the container and dumps them all on the eraser. Then he coughs on them because they form cloud dusts due to how he directly flipped over the container.

"Gack!" Naruto screams, fearing for his safety as he quickly pushes his hand holding the eraser as far as his reach, away from his person.

Below, Koumi has her eyes wide open as she can't believe this infamous prankster actually make such a beginner's mistake of inhaling the powder! "Don't breathe it in, Naruto-kun! Just stop moving for a bit, it will settle soon!"

While she is telling him these, obviously, she has ensured she didn't breathe in the powders. Even Sasuke on the far side of the classroom is inconspicuously covering his own nose. Thankfully, Naruto is experienced and the dust soon settled with no traces left. Koumi refines those powders herself and she makes them to saturate easily in the air unless it's in contact with certain solid or any liquid medium within three seconds after exposing it to the air. A blackboard eraser is effective as it's made of a fabric which are constructed by minuscule nets that can trap those powders.

"Koumi... the antidote..." Naruto whines as soon as he can speak. He is feeling light-headed now. This powder works too quickly!

Without needing to be told, Koumi has already summoned the antidote from the same scroll containing the powder. There are five small bottles, made of glass and with visibly pale-green liquids in them.

"Here, Naruto-kun. Drinks them in one go!" Koumi quickly hands him one, tip-toeing. If she was to throw it, he may be unable to catch it in his condition. Better be safe than sorry.

Feeling his view beginning to distort to something different, Naruto quickly unscrews the bottle and chucks down the liquid. His tastebud only registering the awfully sour taste of it five seconds after he gulped them down.

"Sour!" Naruto grimaces, looking as if he has swallowed an entire lemon, or maybe three lemons at once.

His suffering is totally felt by the brunette. As the one to concoct both the powders and the antidotes, she has first tried them on herself, so she knows how sour the antidote is. Koumi has yet to succeed in stabilising the taste while not messing the intended effects.

"Sorry, Naruto-kun. It's a work-in-progress..." she apologises for now. "I have... candies?"

Wiping out his mouth as he tries to get rid of that lemon-like taste, Naruto quickly wedges in the eraser and jumps down the stool, return it back where it was and runs to the brunette with his hand extended, asking for that candies she promised him just now.

Fruits-flavoured candies are summoned from the same scroll, and three of them are now in the mouth of Naruto. The blonde doesn't even care he is eating strawberry, grape and pineapple-flavoured candies together. Wonder what it tasted like all mixed up?

"As if a jōnin would fall for that kind of stupid trick," Sasuke tsked with clear disdains. With how he voices out his dissatisfaction, he may as well told them straight away he thinks they are idiots.

Needless to say, he ticked off his longtime rival who designs the apparently 'stupid trick'. Before the blonde can retort at the slight on his awesome prank, the kunoichi of the team speaks of before the two boys begin fighting.

"Do you have a better idea, Sasuke-kun?" Koumi turns around to face the raven-haired boy, her tone filled with curiosity. She isn't deterred by his silence nor the blonde's pouting.

It's obvious that the long wait is grating on their nerves, all three of them. And even when Sasuke is usually disagreeable, when the situation places them together in a disadvantage such as this one, there's little reason why he won't help with a bit of prodding. That's why Koumi knows she can get him to help them with a bit more urging.

"You're unhappy with our sensei too, right, Sasuke-kun? Don't you want to help us succeed?" Koumi stays where she is standing, but her golden-yellow eyes seek his onyx eyes. She can see the interest he is trying to hide there, so she knows it won't take long for him to succumb to the invitation.

"...Hn," the Uchiha grunts as he stands up from his seat, causing the blonde to back-steps in wariness.

The moment he begins to move, Koumi knows they successfully get the assistance of their third teammate. The two of them watch as Sasuke easily retrieved the jammed eraser with a jump, stopping his breathing as he did so. He takes out a ninja string, loops it around the eraser, tests its hold, then he places the now stringed blackboard eraser on the ledge above the sliding doors instead of between the opening gap between the door and the wooden frame. Not yet finished, he ties the other end of the string connected to the eraser around the sliding door in a way that when the door is moving, the eraser is set to drop from its concealed height.

While this booby trap can be considered classic, they are depending on the lax guard of their sensei who may not be expecting the prank since it is too simple. Due to Sasuke's improvement, even the eraser can't be spotted until he enters the room. The ninja string is thin, hardly noticeable to unassuming eyes. Thus, this prank may as well be a success already!

"That's better! _Otsukare_ , Sasuke-kun," Koumi grins at him, for the first time, her pearly teeth are all out in the open, a tinge of mischief colouring her expression. **(1)**

"Hn," as always, the Uchiha replies with a wordless grunt as he heads back to his seat.

This kind of attitude is the one Naruto hates most from Sasuke, "Che," the blonde grumbles, but says nothing more.

As a certified prankster, he approves of the boy's improvements because he can see the effects of adding a ninja string and using the door as a trigger through that string while placing the eraser somewhere not directly visible upon entering. This is to be done to lull their target into a false sense of security. And this kind of setting is also good as a base trap before following it more traps. Sadly, Naruto doesn't have his pranking kit at the moment, so the powdered eraser alone will do.

For Koumi, she is just happy that even if it is due to their shared frustrations towards their sensei, they are able to work as a team. Clearly, there are tons of improvements to be made if they are truly to be called a team. But for now, this is enough.

It's not long after Sasuke returns to his seat that the door slides open, revealing a shocking silver hair and a barely visible face. The green vest he is wearing and the hitai-ate worn in a way to cover his left-eye suggests that this person is the sensei they are waiting for. His appearance aside, the prank is a success!

"He fell for it! He fell for it!" Naruto chants happily, his index finger pointing at the jōnin in ridicule.

 _I wonder if he can actually inhale the hallucinogenic powder? All those coverings... coverings? Hitai-ate over his left-eye, a face that is hardly visible... could **he** be...?_

"...I'm sorry, sensei. I was asking Naruto-kun and Sasuke-kun a way to incorporate hallucinogenic powder that I refined into a trap for possible enemies, and you just happened to walk in after we finished setting it up," Koumi explains eloquently, lying as how she is taught back in kunoichi classes. He is a veteran, so it may be obvious. But the number one rule when you got caught is: _deny, deny and deny._

Naruto is indignant though, he wants their sensei to know that he is the one to instigate this prank, out of his need for recognition more than anything else. Somehow getting the clue of this, Koumi is quick to confront her blonde teammate with a kind yet forceful smile, one that is visible only to her two teammates as their sensei can only see her back from his position.

 _"Right? Na-ru-to-kun?"_ Koumi enunciates his name, pronouncing it in a way that sends shivers down his spine, his rebuttal forgotten.

Naruto may not be the sharpest kunai in the holster, but even he knows danger when he sees one.

"Right," he agrees eagerly, nodding his head along like a woodpecker.

Sasuke on the other hand, doesn't look impressed despite being the one behind the improvements of the previously 'stupid trick'. He has expected more from the jōnin who will be his sensei.

"Are you really a jōnin?" he questions, derision clear in his voice.

"Sasuke-kun!"

Koumi is affronted, a harmless prank is one thing, since their sensei kind of deserved it for making them wait this long, but actually questioning his abilities? That's a huge 'NO'! As soon as those words left his mouth, Sasuke finds himself on the receiving end of a pair of persistent golden-yellow eyes boring into his, clearly, she is telling him to stop offending their sensei who has yet to speak a word since his entrance.

Sasuke might have escaped from the misfortune of being in a team with one of his devoted fangirls, but he can't seem to evade this annoyingly persistent kunoichi despite her meek appearance. It's as if he can see already how he will caved in to the girl's harmless directions in the future.

At the moment, Sasuke only tsked, turning his head away from her.

Sighing, the mantle then falls to her again. Koumi bows as she apologises, "I'm really sorry, sensei. And, uh... did you... breathe in the powders?" she hesitates.

Fumbling slightly, she produces the scroll with the antidotes, summoning one and holding it in her hand as she fidgets about, "This, uh... the antidote."

Despite the tense situation in the room, the silver-haired jōninhums unhurriedly as he crouches down to pick up the fallen eraser, eyes it a bit, then brought it down along with his hand as he seems to ponder over something, or rather, someones for a while as he stares into his new charges.

"Hm, hallucinogenic powder, eh? How should I say this... My first impressions of you three are..."

 _Ah... With the prank and Sasuke-kun's questioning of his abilities, I don't think it's going to be anything good..._

"I hate you."

 _...As expected._

 _To be fair, our first impression of you is an irresponsible shinobi who left us waiting for hours on end without so much as a notice._

"...In the meantime, do take this antidote as precaution. A candy, for your convenience," she sighs.

 _Team 7... will it really be fine?_

* * *

 _ **(1) Otsukare:**_ _Thanks (e.g. for coming, helping, etc.)_

* * *

 _So yeah, how is it?_

 _Reviews are very much appreciated!_

 _Next time: Introductions and Hatake Kakashi!_

 _Thank you!_


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